


Phobia

by emetoandotherthings



Category: Original Work
Genre: Graphic Depictions of Illness, Illnesses, Multi, Phobias, Sick Character, Sickfic, Vomiting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-13
Updated: 2019-03-13
Packaged: 2019-11-17 16:57:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,879
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18102647
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/emetoandotherthings/pseuds/emetoandotherthings
Summary: WARNING: Includes vomiting





	Phobia

            “What on earth is that even meant to be?!” Alba turned the piece of paper that her boyfriend had been drawing on, trying to see if she could decipher it from another angle. “A pterodactyl?” Leyton’s eyes widened in frustration, and he moved his arms up and down. “A vulture?” Jude giggled as the sand in the timer quickly began to run out, and Leyton grunted repeatedly, still flapping his arms.. “Oh, I don’t know Leyton! How am I supposed to – an ostrich?”

            “Time’s up!” Eden called, unable to suppress a grin; Alba and Leyton were being absolutely pounded by Eppie and Jude. At Pictionary.

            “It’s a chicken!” Leyton jabbed at the piece of paper with his finger.

            “How on earth is that meant to be a chicken?” Alba sounded incredulous. “You were the one who chose this game! I thought that meant you could draw!”

            “I never said that,” Leyton mumbled; Jude was trying to stop himself creasing with laughter.

            “Clearly,” Alba sighed, laying down their pencil.

            “Right, our turn!” Eppie poised herself with the pencil in one hand and the other outstretched over the pile of cards.

            “Three, two, one!” Eden flipped the small egg timer that he was in charge of for this round, watching the sand run through. Eppie’s pencil glided effortlessly over the paper, and within seconds Jude was calling out:

            “Butterfly!” He pointed at the drawing.

            “Yep!” Eppie turned her card over to show that she wasn’t cheating, sure enough it was right.

            “I think we should just admit defeat now…” Alba said, drumming her fingertips on the table top.

            “Aw, giving up so early?” Eppie taunted, a mischievous grin breaking out over her face.

            “Yeah, I think so,” Leyton nodded, raising his hands to concede.

            “Score!” Jude and Eppie high-fived in triumph. “Right.” Jude planted his hands on the table and pushed himself to his feet. “I’m going to make coffee, anyone want some?” Jude had used half of his student loan payment this month to buy himself an expensive coffee machine he’d been wanting for ages. Eden knew that by the last week of the month Jude would have run out of money and he’d be subbing him money for food and transport, but in the long run it made Jude happy.

            “Well if you’re making some…” Leyton sounded cautious, but Eden knew Jude had asked so he could have another chance to play with his new toy.

            “Of course,” Jude said, “Alba?”

            “Oh go on then,” she nodded.

            “Do you want anything Eppie?” he offered.

            “No, I’m fine thanks.” They learned early on that Eppie wasn’t a fan of hot drinks, but Jude always asked in case she changed her mind.

            “Eden – tea?”

            “That’d be great,” Eden grinned at how well Jude knew him.

            “I’ll give you a hand,” Leyton stood up, following Jude.

            “How’s your placement going?” Eppie asked, Alba exhaled, sending her blonde fringe quivering.

            “It could be worse,” she replied, “I’ve got this one girl who thinks she should be the teacher, it was kinda funny at first, but it’s getting annoying now.”

            “Oh, that must be frustrating!” Eppie flicked her hair over her shoulder.

            “How old are the ones you’ve got?” Eden asked, leaning forwards in his armchair; he’d heard enough about schools from Jude that he had a general knowledge of school life.

            “P3, so about seven,” Alba answered.

            “Gobby at seven?” Eppie asked. “I don’t think I ever raised my hand in class when I was seven!”

            “Really?” Jude laughed, coming back into the room carrying two mugs. “I would have thought you’d be quite an interactive pupil!”

            “My brother was,” Eppie shook her head fiercely as Jude settled back onto the sofa. “I was more of the try to blend into the wallpaper type.”

            “Ah, one of those,” Jude nodded. “I always feel sorry for them if they’re in a class with a few gobby ones.”

            “I didn’t mind it, it meant I didn’t get asked questions.” She was blinking rather quickly, screwing up the right side of her face.

            “I’ve got a wee know-it-all in my P4 class at the moment, he means well – but…” Jude shrugged.

            “I honestly don’t know how you guys do it…” Leyton shook his head, sipping at his coffee.

            “Do what?” Jude asked.

            “Work with kids all day long,” Leyton said, “It’s just something I could never do. It takes a certain kind of person.” He nudged Alba, smiling at her; Eppie was now rubbing her eye with the heel of her hand.

            “Are you alright Eppie?” Alba asked.

            “Yeah,” she said, taking her hand away from her face and then blinking rapidly again, “I think there might be something stuck to my contact lens.” In his chair Eden shuddered, grimacing at the thought.

            “I used to hate when that happened!” Alba intoned, “Especially when it was just an eyelash and you’d have to take it out and then it’d be ruined.”

            For as long as Eden could remember he had hated eyes. He’d freaked out in the opticians at the diagrams, and fled from the lab in high school when they dissected an eyeball – and that was a big thing as he was studying biomedical sciences.

            “I didn’t know you had contacts?” Eppie had taken her hand away from her face again, her eye red and watery from rubbing it. Eden couldn’t help himself, he had to look away; a feeling of intense discomfort rising from his stomach into his chest as he squirmed in his seat.

            “Oh I don’t,” Alba said, and Eden focussed on her. “I used to when I was in high school, but I was forever losing them or breaking them, so I saved up and got laser eye surgery before I went travelling.” Eden snapped both of his eyes shut, trying to suppress the shudder that ran through him.

            “Really? I’ve always wondered about getting that done.” He heard Eppie’s voice sounding interested; Eden took a slow, deep breath in through his nose and out through his mouth. “But every time I start to watch the promo videos I get freaked out.”

            “It’s actually not too bad,” Alba said, but Eden felt his chest tighten, his stomach flipped inside him and he shoved his fingers into his ears, plunging himself into darkness. But even with the stimulus removed, his brain still knew exactly what they were talking about. He felt heat rising up from his stomach, and swallowed, focusing on taking deep calming breaths.

            “Jude?” Leyton drew Jude’s attention with his low voice, as the girls discussed Alba’s experience of surgery.

            “Yeah?” Jude was just about to take another sip of his coffee as Leyton gestured towards Eden.

            “Is he alright?” Jude paused with the mug inches away from his lips; Eden’s entire face was scrunched tightly shut and his fingers placed in his ears.

            “Oh shit.” Jude placed his mug down abruptly, seeing Eden’s chest heaving, and his lips pursed, and then recalling previous violent reactions Eden had had with the discussion of eye-related topics. “He’s gonna throw up.” Jude scrambled to his feet, intending on finding a receptacle of some sort. Eppie and Alba had stopped talking and they all stared at Eden, who was unaware that everyone was now watching him. But Jude hardly made it out of his seat before a gag forced out and a stream of sick landed in Eden’s lap.

            “What just happened?” Eppie got to her feet, sounding really confused.

            “He’s got this kind of thing – a phobia of sorts, about eyes,” Jude explained, grabbing the loin from the corner of the room and up ending it, tipping what was in it on the floor. “I’d forgotten.”

            Eden didn’t want to open his eyes, or his mouth for that matter. He was certain that if he opened his mouth, even just to breathe, he’d puke again, especially as his stomach still felt like it was rebelling. He hadn’t been able to keep it down any longer. His whole body trembling as he desperately tried to take his mind off the previous conversation, but it seemed the only thing he was now capable of thinking about. He still felt sick, but he also felt a burn of shame. Stupid mind making him react like this, and stupid body for listening to his mind. A belch broke free from him.

            “God, he’s gonna puke again!” Leyton’s voice trembled, and Alba had slipped her hand into his, squeezing tight. Jude shoved the now empty bin into Eden’s lap; Eden seemed to be fighting strongly against a renewed urge to retch. He jerked forward, his head nearly hitting the rim of the bin, and there was a splat as another wave of vomit hit the bottom of the bin. Eppie had gone round the back of the armchair, and gently pulled his fingers out of his ears.

            “Eden, you’re panicking,” she said very calmly, “listen to me and follow what I’m saying: take a deep breath in.” To Jude’s surprise Eden did exactly what she was advising, taking a shaky breath in. Normally he was the only one that could calm Eden down. “And out… That’s it, well done. We’re going to do it again – in, and out.”

            “Jude had bent down in front of Eden’s chair, he would have put his hand on his knee for reassurance – had his knee not been covered in sick.

            “Would you like some water?” Jude asked.

            “Please…” Eden nodded, still with his eyes shut.

            “I’ll get it.” Leyton offered from behind, getting up and leaving the room. Eppie was rubbing Eden’s back, still encouraging his calming breathing patterns. Eventually Eden opened his eyes, he looked like he might be about to cry.

            “I – I tried to keep it in,” he murmured, sounding dejected.

            “I know Ede,” Jude reached up and patted his arm, “I totally forgot – I’m sorry.”

            “You don’t need to be sorry,” Eden said, then closed his eyes again. “Can you move the bin please? It’s making me feel queasy.” Eden’s free hand rested on his stomach.

            “I’ll take it away,” Eppie offered, lifting the bin from his lap.

            “Thanks,” Jude said, nodding at her as she left the room.

            “Here’s some water,” Alba returned with a glass, she handed it across to Jude. Eden’s head was lowered so they couldn’t see his face, but Jude suspected he might be crying. “Are you okay Eden?”

            “Mmmm…” Was the only response from Eden, a bit higher pitch than usual. Alba seemed to understand that Eden didn’t want people around him right now.

            “You’re okay Eden,” Jude said reassuringly, hearing him sniff. “We’re your friends, you don’t need to be embarrassed.”

            “But I am!” He whispered. “It’s just stupid, and I… I made a mess.” He looked down at the puddle of sick spread across his lap.

            “Which can be cleaned,” Jude said matter of factly. “That’s not actually the important thing here – you are.” Eden didn’t look convinced. “Are you still feeling sick?” Eden shook his head. “Have some water then.” Jude held out the water, and Eden’s hand trembled slightly as he took hold and sipped at the glass.

            “Thank you,” Eden said quietly.

            “Shall we get you cleaned up then?” Jude asked.

            “Please,” Eden agreed, smiling weakly.


End file.
